Conference to help pork producers cope with tough year

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
Strategies and tools to help pork producers cope with what some specialists say may be a rough financial year will be presented at the 2008 Central Indiana Pork Conference on Jan. 22, in Rossville, Ind.

"This is an era of change for pork producers," said Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension agriculture economist and one of the conference's featured speakers.

Hurt will discuss what the pork industry can do now and how producers can adjust, until prospects improve in 2009.

"The two main reasons for this ugly prediction are high feed prices, which have driven the expected cost of production up to $57 per live hundredweight," Hurt said. "Secondly, large pork supplies may result in the lowest pork prices we've seen in five years.

The conference will take place from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Rossville High School. Registration, which includes lunch, handouts and refreshments, is $20 per person and is requested by Friday (Jan. 18). Registration also will be accepted at the door, but materials and lunch are not guaranteed. A registration form is downloadable at http://www.ces.purdue.edu/Clinton/CIPPC.htm and should be sent to the Purdue Extension office in Clinton County at 111 S. Jackson, Frankfort, Ind., 46041.

"The conference will provide producers with new strategies and tools to deal with the industry's changing climate," said Curt Emanuel, Purdue Extension educator in Clinton County and program coordinator.

Topics include an air quality study update from the Environmental Protection Agency, how to incorporate dried distillers grains, a regulatory update and information about the new Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation rule, improving reproductive efficiency, manure utilization and employee relations and training.